Congress
by a convention held at Shelby on the 12th day of August, 1856,
and was elected in October by a majority of 2,861.

I took an active part in the canvass, after the adjournment of
Congress, mainly in southern Ohio, where it was apparent that the
nomination of Buchanan was popular. In Pennsylvania, especially
in Philadelphia, the cry was for "Buck, Breck and free Kansas."
John G. Forney, the chairman of the Democratic state committee,
promised that if Buchanan was elected there would be no interference
with the efforts of the people of Kansas to make that territory a
free state. The result of the canvass was that Buchanan carried
the states of Pennsylvnia, New Jersey, Indiana, Illinois and
California at the November election and was elected.

In reviewing the past it is apparent that the election of Buchanan
was necessary to convince the people of the north that no successful
opposition to the extension of slavery could be made except by a
party distinctly pledged to that policy. Mr. Buchanan encountered
difficulties which no human wisdom could overcome. Whatever may
have been his desire he was compelled, by the prevailing sentiment
in his party, to adopt measures that made a conflict between the
sections inevitable. The election of Fremont would probably have
precipitated this conflict before the north was ripe for it. His
conduct during the early period of the war proves that he would
have been unequal to such an emergency. His defeat was the
postponement of the irrepressible conflict until it became apparent
to all that our country must be all free or all slave territory.
This was the lesson taught by the administration of Buchanan, and
Lincoln was best fitted to carry it into execution.

Pierce was still President, but after his defeat for the nomination
he changed his policy materially. Events were allowed to develop
in Kansas with a growing tendency in favor of the Free State party.
Judge Lecompte was removed from an office the duties of which he
was totally unfit to perform. A large number of emigrants from
many of the northern states were preparing to move in the spring
to Kansas. Governor Geary of that territory, who had taken a
decided stand in favor of equal and exact justice to all men, was
met by opposition from the pro-slavery faction. His life was
threatened and strong demands were made for his removal. He became
satisfied that he would not be sustained by the administration,
and o